Dual-chamber teapot

ABSTRACT

A dual-chamber teapot configured for stovetop preparation. In one embodiment, the dual-chamber teapot includes an exterior body portion defining a cavity and an interior body portion housed in the cavity. The teapot also includes a spout projecting outward from the exterior body portion. An inner chamber is defined by the interior body portion and an outer chamber is defined between the exterior body portion and the interior body portion. The inner chamber is in fluid communication with the outer chamber and the outer chamber is in fluid communication with the spout.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No.13/941,307, filed Jul. 12, 2013, the entire content of which isincorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

The present application relates generally to beverage preparationdevices and, more particularly, to stovetop teapots.

BACKGROUND

Conventional stovetop teapots are ubiquitous. Conventional teapotstypically include a single chamber into which a variety of ingredients(e.g., milk, water, spices, tea leaves) may be placed and then broughtto a boil or other suitably high temperature.

However, conventional stove-top teapots are prone to overflow when thetea is brought to a boil (i.e., the tea is prone to overflow onto thestove). Additionally, conventional teapots are prone to spilling whenthe tea is poured from the teapot. Furthermore, conventional teapotsbecome very hot on the stovetop. Accordingly, some conventional stovetopteapots include special materials or coatings configured to protect theuser during handling of the teapot. However, such materials or coatingsmay be costly. Additionally, other conventional teapots require the userto don protective wear (e.g., oven mitts) when handling the teapot.However, it may be cumbersome for the user to handle the teapot whilewearing oven mitts. Additionally, oven mitts reduce the user's tactilesensation of the teapot, which may lead to mishandling of the teapot.Furthermore, larger ingredients, such as cinnamon sticks or gingerroots, may obstruct or prevent the flow of tea out of spouts inconventional teapots.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure is directed to various embodiments of a teapot.According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a dual-chamberteapot is provided. The dual-chamber teapot includes an exterior bodyportion defining a cavity, an interior body portion housed in thecavity, and a spout projecting from the exterior body portion. An innerchamber is defined by the interior body portion and an outer chamber isdefined between the exterior body portion and the interior body portion.The inner chamber is in fluid communication with the outer chamber andthe outer chamber is in fluid communication with the spout. Thedual-chamber teapot also includes an opening in an upper end of theinterior body portion and a fluid-permeable lid configured to cover theopening. In one embodiment, the fluid-permeable lid includes a porousmesh screen configured to filter solid matter. The dual-chamber teapotalso includes a locking member configured to selectively secure thecover to the interior body portion and selectively release the coverfrom the interior body portion. In one embodiment, the locking memberincludes a post housed in the inner chamber and a thumb nut threadedlyengageable with an upper end of the post. In one embodiment, theexterior body portion includes a cylindrical sidewall and a baseextending along a lower end of the cylindrical sidewall. Thedual-chamber teapot also includes a lid configured to cover an upperopening in the exterior body portion.

According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a teapotconfigured to reduce spill during pouring of a fluid contained in theteapot is provided. The teapot includes an exterior body portiondefining a cavity. The exterior body portion includes an upper openingand a sloped upper rim extending around a periphery of the upperopening. The teapot also includes a spout projecting from the exteriorbody portion, which is in fluid communication with the cavity. In oneembodiment, the sloped upper rim tapers between a higher end proximal tothe spout and a lower end distal from the spout. The teapot alsoincludes a sloped lid configured to cover the upper opening in theexterior body portion. In one embodiment, the teapot also includes aninterior body portion housed in the cavity of the exterior body portion.An inner chamber is defined by the interior body portion and an outerchamber is defined between the exterior body portion and the interiorbody portion. The inner chamber is in fluid communication with the outerchamber and the outer chamber is in fluid communication with the spout.

According to a further embodiment of the present disclosure, a heatsinking teapot is provided. The heat sinking teapot includes an exteriorbody portion, a spout coupled to the exterior body portion, and a handlecoupled to the exterior body portion. The exterior body portion definesa cavity configured to store a fluid and the spout is in fluidcommunication with the cavity. The handle includes a series of helicallywound strands configured to dissipate heat. In one embodiment, thehandle includes an inner segment of closely wound strands and an outersegment of loosely wound strands. In one embodiment, the handle includesbetween three and five strands. In one embodiment, the heat sinkingteapot also includes an interior body portion housed in the cavity ofthe exterior body portion. An inner chamber is defined by the interiorbody portion and an outer chamber is defined between the exterior bodyportion and the interior body portion. The inner chamber is in fluidcommunication with the outer chamber and the outer chamber is in fluidcommunication with the spout.

According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a teapotincludes an exterior body portion, a spout coupled to the exterior bodyportion, and a spill catcher coupled to the exterior body portion belowthe spout. The exterior body portion defines a cavity configured tostore a fluid and the spout is in fluid communication with the cavity.The spill catcher is configured to catch fluid spilled from the spout ofthe teapot. In one embodiment, the spill catcher is detachably coupledto the exterior body portion of the teapot by a series of magnets. Inone embodiment, the spill catcher defines a wedge-shaped cavityconfigured to receive fluid spilled from the spout. Additionally, in oneembodiment, the spill catcher tapers between a upper portion andrelatively narrower lower portion. In one embodiment, the teapot alsoincludes a spillway on the exterior body portion. The spillway isconfigured to direct fluid spilled from the spout into the spillcatcher.

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts that arefurther described below in the detailed description. This summary is notintended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subjectmatter, nor is it intended to be used in limiting the scope of theclaimed subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features and advantages of embodiments of the presentdisclosure will become more apparent by reference to the followingdetailed description when considered in conjunction with the followingdrawings. In the drawings, like reference numerals are used throughoutthe figures to reference like features and components. The figures arenot necessarily drawn to scale.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a teapot having a body portion, an outer lid, ahandle, and a spill catcher according to one embodiment of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the teapot illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the teapot illustrated in FIG. 1 with thelid omitted to reveal the inner lid;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the teapot illustrated in FIG. 2taken along line A-A;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the teapot illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a back view of the teapot illustrated in FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 7A-7C are a top plan view, a cross-sectional view, and a backview, respectively, of the spill catcher according to one embodiment ofthe present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure is directed to various embodiments of a teapot.One or more embodiments of the teapot are dual-chambered, which isconfigured to prevent fluid overflow during preparation of the tea.Additionally, one or more embodiments of the teapot include a heatsinking handle configured to dissipate heat from the teapot tofacilitate handling of teapot without protective wear. Furthermore, oneor more embodiments of the teapot include a spill catcher configured tocollect liquid spilled from the teapot. Moreover, one or moreembodiments of the teapot include a sloped upper rim and correspondingsloped cover configured to reduce spilling from the teapot. Furthermore,one or more embodiments of the teapot include a filter configured tocatch large solid objects and prevent the objects from obstructing theflow of tea from the teapot.

With reference now to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, theteapot 100 includes a body 101 and a spout 102 projecting outward fromthe body 101. The teapot 100 also includes a spill catcher 103 coupledto the body 101 and disposed below the spout 102. The spill catcher 103is configured to capture fluid spilled from the spout 102, as describedbelow. The teapot 100 may also include a spillway 104 on the body 101configured to direct fluid spilled from the spout 102 into the spillcatcher 103. Additionally, the teapot 100 may include a handle 105coupled to the body 101. As described in more detail below, the handle105 may be configured to dissipate heat and thereby facilitate graspingof the handle 105 without the use of protective wear, such as an ovenmitt. The teapot 100 may also include a removable outer lid 106configured both to permit the user to place the constituent ingredientsof a beverage (e.g., milk, water, tea leaves, and spices) into theteapot 100 for preparation and to prevent fluid from spilling out of theteapot 100 while pouring the prepared beverage from the spout 102.

With reference now to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, thebody 101 of the teapot 100 includes an outer body portion 107. The outerbody 107 portion includes a sidewall 109 having an outer surface 110 andan inner surface 111 opposite the outer surface 110, and a base 112having an outer surface 113 and an inner surface 114 opposite the outersurface 113. The base 112 extends along a lower end 115 of the sidewall109. In the illustrated embodiment, the sidewall 109 is generallycylindrical and the base 112 is a generally flat, circular plate. Itwill be appreciated, however, that the sidewall 109 and the base 112 ofthe outer body portion 107 may have any other suitable shapes. In onealternate embodiment, for instance, the sidewall 109 of the outer bodyportion 107 may be a square prism and the base 112 may be a flat, squareplate. In another alternate embodiment, for instance, the sidewall 109of the outer body portion 107 may be semi-spherical and the base 112 maybe a flat, circular plate. The sidewall 109 and the base 112 of theouter body portion 107 may be made of dissimilar materials. In oneembodiment, for instance, the sidewall 109 may be made out of aluminumand the base 112 may be made out of copper or other material having highthermal conductivity. It will be appreciated, however, that the sidewall109 and the base 112 of the outer body portion 107 may be made out ofany other suitable materials, such as, for instance, metal alloys,steel, precious metals, ceramic, or any combinations thereof.Additionally, it will be appreciated that the sidewall 109 and the base112 of the outer body portion 107 may be made of the same or similarmaterials and still fall within the scope and spirit of the presentdisclosure. Furthermore, in one embodiment, the inner surfaces 111, 114of the sidewall 109 and the base 112, respectively, are coated with anon-stick material, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or anodizedaluminum.

With continued reference to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4,the body 101 of the teapot 100 also includes an inner body portion 116housed inside the outer body portion 107. The inner body portion 116includes a sidewall 117 projecting upward from the base 112 of the outerbody portion 107. The sidewall 117 of the inner body portion 116includes an outer surface 118 and an inner surface 119 opposite theouter surface 118. In one embodiment, the sidewall 117 of the inner bodyportion 116 is generally cylindrical, as illustrated in FIG. 3, althoughit will be appreciated that sidewall 117 of the inner body portion 116may have any other suitable shape, such as, for instance, a squareprism, a rectangular prism, or even an irregular shape. Additionally, inthe illustrated embodiment, a height H_(I) of the sidewall 117 of theinner body portion 116 is less than a height H_(O) of the sidewall 109of the outer body portion 107, the significance of which is describedbelow. The inner body portion 116 may be formed separately from theouter body portion 107 and subsequently coupled to the base 112 of theouter body portion 107 by any suitable means, such as, for example,bonding, welding, adhering, or mechanical fastening. In an alternateembodiment, the inner body portion 116 may be integrally formed with theouter body portion 107. In one embodiment, at least a portion of theouter surface 118 and/or the inner surface 119 of the inner body portion116 may be coated with a non-stick material, such aspolytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or anodized aluminum.

Still referring to FIG. 4, the inner body portion 116 of the teapot 100defines an inner cavity or chamber 120. As described in more detailbelow, the constituent ingredients of the tea or other beverage arereceived in the inner chamber 120 of the teapot 100 and heated thereinto prepare the beverage. Additionally, an outer chamber 121 is definedbetween the inner and outer body portions 116, 107, respectively. Theinner chamber 120 is in fluid communication with the outer chamber 121and the outer chamber 121 is in fluid communication with the spout 102.Accordingly, the beverage prepared in the inner chamber 120 may bepoured from the inner chamber 120, through the outer chamber 121 and thespout 102, and into a cup or other beverage receptacle.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the spout 102 projects outward and upward fromthe sidewall 109 of the outer body portion 107. In the illustratedembodiment, the spout 102 includes a thin-walled, cylindrical segment122 defining a cylindrical opening 123 in fluid communication with theouter chamber 121 of the teapot 100. It will be appreciated that thespout 102 may have any other suitable shape, such as, for instance, acurved spout (e.g., an S-shaped spout) and still fall within the scopeand spirit of the present disclosure.

Still referring to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the teapot 100also includes a liquid-permeable cover or lid 124 configured to bereleasably coupled to an upper end 125 of the inner body portion 116. Inthe illustrated embodiment, the liquid-permeable lid 124 includes aporous mesh 126 of interconnected or interlaced longitudinal andtransverse strands. Additionally, in the illustrated embodiment, theliquid-permeable lid 124 includes a stiffening rim 127 extending arounda periphery of the porous mesh 126. The stiffening rim 127 is configuredto maintain the structural integrity of the liquid-permeable lid 124.The liquid-permeable lid 124 also includes an arcuate notch 128extending around a periphery of the stiffening rim 127. The arcuatenotch 128 is configured to receive a portion of the upper end 125 of thesidewall 117 of the inner body portion 116. The engagement between thearcuate notch 128 and the upper end 125 of the sidewall 117 of the innerbody portion 116 is configured to ensure proper alignment or seatingbetween the liquid-permeable lid 124 and the inner body portion 116. Inthe illustrated embodiment, the liquid-permeable lid 124 has a sphericalcap shape. In one or more alternate embodiments, the liquid-permeablelid 124 may have any other suitable shape, such as, for example, a flat,circular disk. The liquid-permeable lid 124 also includes an aperture129, such as circular opening, in the porous mesh 126, the significanceof which is described below.

With continued reference to FIG. 4, the teapot 100 may also include alocking mechanism 135 configured to selectively secure theliquid-permeable lid 124 to the inner body portion 116 and selectivelyrelease the liquid-permeable lid 124 from the inner body portion 116.The locking mechanism 135 is configured to release the liquid-permeablelid 124 to facilitate the removal of the fluid-permeable lid 124, suchas for inserting ingredients (e.g., milk, water, tea leaves, and spices)into the inner chamber 120 prior to preparation or for cleaning theliquid-permeable lid 124. In the illustrated embodiment, the lockingmechanism 135 includes a post 136 projecting upward from the base 112 ofouter body portion 107 and a thumb nut 137 configured to threadedlyengage an upper threaded end 138 of the post 136. In the illustratedembodiment, the thumb nut 137 includes an annular head portion 139 and ashank 140 extending downward from the head portion 139. Additionally,the thumb nut 137 includes an internally threaded blind bore 141extending along at least a portion of the shank 140. The head portion139 of the thumb nut 137 may include a friction-inducing outer surface,such as, for example, a knurled surface, ridges, striations, a coating,or any combination thereof, to facilitate threading and unthreading thethumb nut 137 by hand (i.e., the thumb nut 137 is configured to bemanually threaded onto, and unthreaded off of, the post 136 by hand).The post 136 is configured to extend up through the aperture 129 in theliquid-permeable lid 124. The post 136 may be configured to be press-fit(i.e., friction fit) into the aperture 129 in the liquid-permeable lid124 or may be configured to be loose fit into the aperture 129. Theextension of the post 136 up through the aperture 129 in theliquid-permeable lid 124 is configured to center the liquid-permeablelid 124 on the upper end 125 of the inner body portion 116.Additionally, the shank portion 140 of the thumb nut 137 is larger thanthe aperture 129 in the liquid-permeable lid 124 such that theengagement between the thumb nut 137 and the upper end 138 of the post136 retains the liquid-permeable lid 124 on the upper end 125 of theinner body portion 116.

It will be appreciated that the locking mechanism 135 may include anyother suitable type of nut to secure the liquid-permeable lid 124 to theinner body portion 116, such as, for example, a wing nut. Additionally,in the illustrated embodiment, the post 136 is concentric with the innerbody portion 116, although in one or more alternate embodiments, thepost 136 may be eccentric with the inner body portion 116. Moreover,although in the illustrated embodiment the post 136 is cylindrical, thepost 136 may have any other suitable shape, such as, for example, asquare prism, and still fall within the scope and spirit of the presentdisclosure. Additionally, in an alternate embodiment, the upper end ofthe post 136 may include an internally threaded bore and the nut mayinclude external threads configured to threadedly engage the internallythreaded bore in the post 136. Furthermore, in one or more alternateembodiments, the liquid-permeable lid 124 may be detachably coupled tothe inner body portion 116 by any other suitable means, such as bymagnets, a bayonet-type connector, or set screws.

With continued reference to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, theouter body portion 107 also includes an upper opening 145 configured toreceive the outer lid 106 (i.e., the outer lid 106 is configured toselectively cover and expose the upper opening 145 in the outer bodyportion 107). The teapot 100 also includes a sloped rim 146 extendingaround the periphery of the upper opening 145. In the illustratedembodiment, the sloped rim 146 tapers between a higher end 147 proximalto the spout 102 and a lower end 148 distal from the spout 102. Thesloped rim 146 may define any suitable angle α relative to the base 112of the outer portion 107, such as, for example, between approximately 10degrees and approximately 35 degrees. In an alternate embodiment, therim 146 may not be sloped relative to the base 112 of the outer bodyportion 107 (i.e., the rim 146 may be horizontal, rather than sloped).In another alternate embodiment, the sloped rim 146 may be sloped at anangle α greater than 35 degrees, such as, for instance, approximately 45degrees. In the illustrated embodiment, the teapot 100 further includesan inwardly turned lip 149 extending around a periphery of the slopedrim 146. Together, the sloped rim 146 and the lip 149 are configured toreduce spilling from the teapot 100 as tea is poured out of the spout102. In particular, the inwardly turned lip 149 is configured to reducespilling from the teapot 100 between the outer body portion 107 and theouter lid 106. Additionally, the sloped rim 146 is configured to directthe beverage in the teapot 100 towards the spout 102 and thereby reducespilling from the teapot 100. In particular, the sloped rim 146 isconfigured to reduce sloshing of the beverage in the teapot 100 as thebeverage is poured through the spout 102, which is configured to reducespilling from the teapot 100.

Still referring to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, the outer lid106 is sloped to conform to the sloped rim 146 on the outer body portion107 of the teapot 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer lid 106includes an arcuate cap 150 and an annular flange 151 extending downwardfrom the arcuate cap 150. An annular notch 152 is defined between theannular flange 151 and a peripheral edge 153 of the arcuate cap 150. Theannular notch 152 in the outer lid 106 is configured to receive aportion of the inwardly turned lip 149 on the outer body portion 107 ofthe teapot 100 such that the annular flange 151 may extend down into theupper opening 145 in the outer body portion 107 of the teapot 100. Theengagement between the inwardly turned lip 149 on the outer body portion107 and the annular notch 152 in the outer lid 106 is configured toensure proper alignment between the outer lid 106 and the upper opening145 and to prevent the outer lid 106 from inadvertently disengaging theouter body portion 107 of the teapot 100. Additionally, when the outerlid 106 is attached to the outer body portion 107 of the teapot 100, aportion of the arcuate cap 150 of the outer lid 106 overhangs at least aportion of the inwardly turned lip 149. The overlap between the arcuatecap 150 and the inwardly turned lip 149 is configured to prevent liquidfrom spilling out of the teapot 100 through the upper opening 145.

Additionally, the outer lid 106 includes a lid handle 155 configured topermit the user to remove the outer lid 106 from the body 101 of theteapot 100 and replace the outer lid 106 onto the body 101 of the teapot100 to cover the upper opening 145. In the illustrated embodiment ofFIG. 4, the lid handle 155 is coupled to the arcuate cap 150 by afastener 156. In particular, an externally threaded shaft 157 on thefastener 156 extends upward through an opening 158 in the arcuate cap150 and an internally threaded blind bore 159 in the lid handle 155threadedly engages the externally threaded shaft 157 of the fastener156. It will be appreciated, however, that the lid handle 155 may becoupled to the arcuate cap 150 by any other suitable means, such aswelding, bonding, adhering, or any combination thereof. Additionally, inan alternate embodiment, the lid handle 155 may be integrally formedwith the arcuate cap 150.

With reference now to embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-5, the spillway104 is located below the spout 102 and is configured to direct fluidspilled from the spout 102 into the spill catcher 103, which isdescribed in detail below. In the illustrated embodiment, the spillway104 is an angled guide projecting outward from the sidewall 109 of theouter body portion 107 of the teapot 100. Moreover, the spillway 104tapers outward between an upper end 166 coupled to the spout 102 and arelatively wider lower end 167. The spillway 104 may define any suitableangle β relative to the sidewall 109 of the outer body portion 107, suchas, for example, approximately 5 degrees to approximately 45 degrees. Itwill be appreciated that the spillway 104 may taper at any othersuitable angle β, such as, for instance, greater than approximately 45degrees. Accordingly, the angled spillway 104 is configured to directspilled fluid outward away from the sidewall 109 of the outer bodyportion 107 and into the spill catcher 103 (i.e., fluid spilled from thespout 102 may contact the spillway 104 and then slide down along thespillway 104 and into the spill catcher 103). In one embodiment, thespillway 104 may be integrally formed with the outer body portion 107 ofthe teapot 100. In an alternate embodiment, the spillway 104 may beformed separately from the outer body portion 107 of the teapot 100 andcoupled to the sidewall 109 of the outer body portion 107 by anysuitable means, such as, for instance, welding, bonding, mechanicalfastening, or any combination thereof.

With reference now to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5, and7A-7C, the spill catcher 103 is coupled to the sidewall 109 of the outerbody portion 107 and positioned below the spout 102. As described above,the spillway 104 is configured to direct any fluid spilled from thespout 102 into the spill catcher 103. The spill catcher 103 isconfigured to retain the fluid spilled from the spout 102 until it maybe disposed of by the user. Additionally, in the illustrated embodiment,the spill catcher 103 is detachably coupled to the outer body portion107 of the teapot 100 by four magnets 170. Detachably coupling the spillcatcher 103 to the outer body portion 107 of the teapot 100 enables theuser to remove and clean the spill catcher 103 (i.e., detachablycoupling the spill catcher 103 to the outer body portion 107 of theteapot 100 enables the user to readily empty the spilled liquid capturedby the spill catcher 103). It will be appreciated that the spill catcher103 may be detachably coupled to the outer body portion 107 by any othersuitable number of magnets 170, such as, for example, one to eightmagnets. Additionally, the spill catcher 103 may be detachably coupledto the outer body portion 107 by any other suitable means, such as, forexample, hook-and-loop type fasteners, a bungee strap configured to wraparound the sidewall 109 of the outer body portion 107, button snaps, orany combination thereof. In an alternate embodiment, the spill catcher103 may be integrally formed with the sidewall 109 of the outer bodyportion 107. Additionally, in another alternate embodiment, the spillcatcher 103 may be fixedly connected to the sidewall 109 of the outerbody portion 107, such as by rivets or any other suitable permanentfasteners.

With continued reference to FIGS. 4 and 7A-7C, the spill catcher 103includes an inner wall segment 171 which conforms to the contour of thesidewall 109 of the outer body portion 107 and an outer wall segment 172extending outward from a lower end 173 of the inner wall segment 171. Inthe illustrated embodiment, the outer wall segment 172 defines an acuteangle θ, such as, for example, approximately 10 degrees to approximately45 degrees, relative to the inner wall segment 171. It will beappreciated, however, that the outer wall segment 172 may define anyother suitable angle θ relative to the inner wall segment 171, such as,for example, greater than 45 degrees. Together, the inner and outer wallsegments 171, 172, respectively, of the spill catcher 103 define awedge-shaped cavity 174 configured to receive and retain liquid spilledfrom the spout 102 until the spilled liquid may be disposed of by theuser. Additionally, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the spill catcher 103 isconfigured to extend circumferentially around at least a portion of thesidewall 109 of the outer body portion 107. The spill catcher 103 mayextend any suitable angle δ around the sidewall 109 of the outer bodyportion 107, such as, for example, approximately 10 degrees toapproximately 60 degrees. It will be appreciated, however, that thespill catcher 103 may extend any other suitable angle δ around thesidewall 109 of the outer body portion 107, such as, for example,greater than 60 degrees. Additionally, in the illustrated embodiment,the spill catcher 103 also includes two opposing sidewalls 175, 176. Oneof the sidewalls 175 connects sides 177, 178 of the inner and outer wallsegments 171, 172, respectively, together and the other sidewall 176connects opposite sides 179, 180 of the inner and outer wall segments171, 172, respectively, together. In an alternate embodiment, the spillcatcher 103 may be provided without the sidewalls 175, 176 and theopposite sides 177, 178 and 179, 180 of the inner and outer wallsegments 171, 172, respectively, may be connected directly together.

In the illustrated embodiment, the inner wall segment 171 of the spillcatcher 103 includes four cylindrical recesses 181 configured to receivethe magnets 170. Recessing the magnets 170 in recesses 181 is configuredto permit the inner wall segment 171 of the spill catcher 103 to abutthe sidewall 109 of the outer body portion 107. Otherwise, the magnets170 would define a gap between the inner wall segment 171 of the spillcatcher 103 and the sidewall 109 of the outer body portion 107, whichmay permit spilled fluid from the spout 102 to avoid capture by thespill catcher 103. In one or more embodiments, the recesses 181 in theinner wall segment 171 of the spill catcher 103 may have any othersuitable shape, such as, for example, a square prismatic recess,depending upon the shape of the magnets 170. Additionally, in one ormore embodiments, the inner wall segment 171 of the spill catcher 103may be provided without the recesses 181, depending upon the type offasteners used to detachably couple the spill catcher 103 to the outerbody portion 107, such as, a bungee strap configured to wrap around thesidewall 109 of the outer body portion 107. In one or more alternateembodiments, the teapot 100 may be provided without the spill catcher103.

With reference now to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-6, thehandle 105 extends outward from the sidewall 109 of the outer bodyportion 107. In the illustrated embodiment, the handle 105 is located onthe sidewall 109 approximately 90 degrees apart from the spout 102(i.e., the handle 105 is positioned on the sidewall 109 such that anangle Δ of approximately 90 degrees is defined between the handle 105and the spout 102, as illustrated in FIG. 2). In or more alternateembodiments, the handle 105 may be located at any other position on thesidewall 109 such that the handle 105 may define any other suitableangle Δ relative to the spout 102, such as between approximately 30degrees and approximately 180 degrees. For instance, in one embodiment,the handle 105 and the spout 102 are diametrically opposed from eachother on the cylindrical sidewall 109 of the outer body portion 107.Additionally, although in the illustrated embodiment the handle 105extends horizontally outward from the cylindrical sidewall 109 of theouter body portion 107, the handle 105 may extend upward or downwardfrom the outer body portion 107 and still fall within the scope andspirit of the present disclosure. For instance, in one embodiment, thehandle 105 may extend upward from the cylindrical sidewall 109 of theouter body portion 107 at an angle of approximately 45 degrees.

In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 1-4, the handle 105 includes aplurality of helically wound strands 182. The handle 105 may include anysuitable number of strands 182, such as, for example, three to twentystrands. It will be appreciated, however, that the handle 105 may haveany other suitable number of strands 182, such as more than twenty. Thehandle 105 also includes an inner, closely spaced segment 183 of strands182 and an outer, loosely spaced segment 184 of strands 182. The inner,closely spaced segment 183 of strands 182 defines a diameter D₁ and theouter, loosely spaced segment 184 of strands 182 defines a diameter D₂.In the illustrated embodiment, the diameter D₂ of the outer segment 184is approximately twice as large as the diameter D₁ of the inner segment183. In one or more alternate embodiments, the diameter D₂ of the outersegment 184 of strands 182 may be any other size relative to thediameter D₁ of the inner segment 183, such as, for instance, more thantwice as large as the diameter D₁ of the inner segment 183.Additionally, in one embodiment, the strands 182 may define asubstantially constant diameter along the length of the handle 105(i.e., the diameter D₂ of the outer segment 184 of strands 182 may besubstantially equal to the diameter D₁ of the inner segment 183 ofstrands 182). The outer, loosely spaced segment 184 of strands 182 isconfigured to enable the user to ergonomically grasp the handle 105.Additionally, the outer, loosely spaced segment 184 of strands 182 isconfigured to function as a heat sink by dissipating heat (i.e., thehandle 105 is configured to dissipate heat generated during preparationof tea in the stovetop teapot 100). Accordingly, the outer segment 184of the handle 105 is configured to remain sufficiently cool such thatthe user may safely grasp the handle 105 without the aid of protectivewear, such as an oven mitt.

With continued reference to FIGS. 1-4, an inner end 185 of the handle105 may be coupled to the sidewall 109 of the outer body portion 107 byany suitable means, such as, for example, welding (e.g., spot welding).In the illustrated embodiment, an outer end 186 of the handle 105includes a cap 187 configured to prevent the strands 182 from separatingfrom each other and thereby reducing the structural integrity of thehandle 105 (i.e., the cap 187 is configured to couple the outer ends ofthe strands 182 together, thereby preventing the strands 182 fromunwinding). Additionally, the cap 187 protects the user during use ofthe teapot 100. Otherwise, the outer ends of the relatively smallstrands 182 may form sharp points against which the user couldinadvertently cut his hand while handling the teapot 100. In one or morealternate embodiments, the handle 105 may be provided without the cap187 and the outer ends of the strands 182 may be coupled together by anyother suitable means, such as, for example, bonding, welding, soldering,crimping, or any combination thereof. Additionally, in one or moreembodiments, the teapot 100 may include any other suitable type ofhandle 105. Furthermore, the handle 105 may coated in one or morethermally insulating coatings, such as, for example, high temperatureresistant rubbers or polymers, such that the user may safely grip thehandle 105 without the aid of protective wear, such as oven mitts.

With reference now to FIGS. 1-4, the operation of the teapot 100 willnow be described. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the outer lid 106 is firstremoved to expose the outer chamber 121 in which the inner body portion116 is housed. The locking mechanism 135 securing the liquid-permeableinner lid 124 to the upper end 125 of the inner body portion 116 is thendisengaged (e.g., by unthreading the thumb nut 137 from the threadedupper end 138 of the post 136) and the liquid-permeable lid 124 coveringthe inner body portion 116 may be removed. Tea-making ingredients (e.g.,milk, water, spices, and/or tea leaves) may then be placed into theinner chamber 120. The liquid-permeable inner lid 124 may then bere-secured to the upper end 125 of the inner body portion 116, such as,for example, by sliding the inner lid 124 down along the post 136 suchthat the threaded upper end 138 of the post 136 extends through theaperture 129 in the inner lid 124 and then threading the thumb nut 137onto the threaded upper end 138 of the post 136. The outer lid 106 maythen be returned to cover the upper opening 145 in the outer bodyportion 107 of the teapot 100, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

The teapot 100 may then be placed on a stovetop or other suitable heatsource. It will be appreciated that the conductive material of the base112 of the teapot 100 is configured to distribute heat throughout thebody 101 of the teapot 100, including the inner body portion 116 of theteapot 100, such that the ingredients in the inner chamber 120 areheated by the heat source. The ingredients in the inner chamber 120 maythen be heated to any suitable temperature. If the ingredients arebrought to a boil, the boiling liquids may flow out of the inner chamber120, up through the liquid-permeable inner lid 124, and into the outerchamber 121. Accordingly, the dual-chamber configuration of the teapot100 is configured to prevent boiling liquids from overflowing orspilling out of the teapot 100 and onto the stovetop, which may presenta safety risk. Instead, the outer chamber 121 of the teapot 100 isconfigured to retain boiling liquids flowing out of the inner chamber120.

Once the ingredients in the teapot 100 have been heated to the desiredtemperature, the user may grasp the handle 105 and tilt the spout 102down towards a cup or other receptacle (e.g., a thermos) into which theuser desires to pour the prepared beverage (e.g., tea). As describedabove, in one embodiment the handle 105 is configured to dissipate heatsuch that the handle 105 remains sufficiently cool to enable the user tosafely grasp the handle 105 without the aid of any protective wear, suchas an oven mitt. Additionally, as described above, the height H_(I) ofthe sidewall 117 of the inner body portion 116 is less than a heightH_(O) of the sidewall 109 of the outer body portion 107. Accordingly, asthe user tilts the spout 102 downward towards the cup or otherreceptacle, the liquid ingredients in the inner chamber 120 areconfigured to pour out of the upper end 125 of the inner chamber 120,through the liquid-permeable inner lid 124, and into the outer chamber121 of the teapot 100. As the liquid flows from the inner chamber 120 tothe outer chamber 121, the liquid-permeable lid 124 filters out largesolid ingredients (e.g., cinnamon sticks or ginger root) in the tea(i.e., the liquid-permeable inner lid 124 is configured to permit theflow of liquid but restrict the flow of solid matter, thereby retainingthe solid matter in the inner chamber 120 of the teapot 100).Accordingly, the liquid-permeable lid 124 is configured to prevent largesolid matter from flowing into the spout 102, which might obstruct orrestrict the flow of the prepared beverage from the spout 102. Theprepared beverage then flows from the outer chamber 121, out through thespout 102, and into the cup or other receptacle. Additionally, asdescribed above, the spillway 104 is configured to direct any liquidspilled from the spout 102 into the spill catcher 103 positioned belowthe spout 102 (i.e., any liquid spilled from the spout 102 will flowdown along the spillway 104 and into the wedge-shaped cavity 174 of thespill catcher 103). Subsequently, the user may detach the spill catcher103 from the outer body portion 107 of the teapot 100 (e.g., by pullingwith sufficient force to detach the magnets 170 on the spill catcher 103from the sidewall 109 of the outer body portion 107) in order to emptyand clean the spill catcher 103. Additionally, the outer lid 106 and theinner lid 124 may be removed to empty and clean the outer and innerchambers 121, 120 of the teapot 100.

While this invention has been described in detail with particularreferences to exemplary embodiments thereof, the exemplary embodimentsdescribed herein are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the scopeof the invention to the exact forms disclosed. Persons skilled in theart and technology to which this invention pertains will appreciate thatalterations and changes in the described structures and methods ofassembly and operation can be practiced without meaningfully departingfrom the principles, spirit, and scope of this invention, as set forthin the following claims. Although relative terms such as “outer,”“inner,” “upper,” “lower,” “below,” “above,” “vertical,” “horizontal,”and similar terms have been used herein to describe a spatialrelationship of one element to another, it is understood that theseterms are intended to encompass different orientations of the variouselements and components of the invention in addition to the orientationdepicted in the figures. Additionally, as used herein, the term“substantially” and similar terms are used as terms of approximation andnot as terms of degree, and are intended to account for the inherentdeviations in measured or calculated values that would be recognized bythose of ordinary skill in the art.

1. A heat sinking teapot, comprising: an outer body defining a chamberfor storing a fluid; a spout coupled to the outer body and in fluidcommunication with the chamber; and a handle coupled to the outer body,wherein the handle comprises a plurality of helically wound strandsconfigured to dissipate heat, the plurality of helically wound strandscomprising: an inner segment of closely wound strands proximate to theouter body having a first diameter and a first length; and an outersegment of loosely wound strands distal to the outer body having asecond diameter and a second length, the second diameter being largerthan the first diameter and the second length being at least as long asthe first length to facilitate ergonomic grasping of the outer segmentby a user.
 2. (canceled)
 3. The heat sinking teapot of claim 2, whereinthe second diameter is twice as large as the first diameter.
 4. The heatsinking teapot of claim 1, wherein the handle includes from three to sixstrands.
 5. The heat sinking teapot of claim 1, wherein the handle isoriented 90 degrees relative the spout.
 6. The heat sinking teapot ofclaim 1, wherein the handle is opposite the spout.
 7. The heat sinkingteapot of claim 1, further comprising a cap coupled to outer ends of thestrands.
 8. The heat sinking teapot of claim 1, wherein outer ends ofthe strands are coupled together.
 9. The heat sinking teapot of claim 1,further comprising a thermally insulating coating covering at least aportion of the handle.
 10. The heat sinking teapot of claim 1, whereinthe handle extends upward from the outer body.
 11. The heat sinkingteapot of claim 1, wherein the handle extends downward from the outerbody.
 12. The heat sinking teapot of claim 1, wherein a material of thehandle is dissimilar to a material of the outer body.
 13. The heatsinking teapot of claim 1, further comprising: an inner body housed inthe outer body; an inner chamber defined by the inner body; and an outerchamber defined between the outer body and the inner body, wherein theinner chamber is in fluid communication with the outer chamber and theouter chamber is in fluid communication with the spout.
 14. The heatsinking teapot of claim 1, further comprising a lid configured to coveran upper opening defined by the outer body.
 15. The heat sinking teapotof claim 1, further comprising a spill catcher coupled to the outer bodybelow the spout.